Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday that the government has decided to establish a cyber crime reporting portal to tackle cyber crimes against women.

“We will also establish a dedicated cyber crime laboratory to stop crimes against women and children,” Singh said while addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 24th All-India Forensic Science Conference here.

He said there is a need to increase cyber forensic capabilities in modern times as cyberspace has added new dimension and new complications.

“Traditional policing is not adequate to control crime in cyberspace,” he said.

“Forensic science can be extremely useful in cyberspace. Our cyber forensic experts played an important role in preventing radicalisation of our youth. I laud the efforts of our cyber experts in counter-radicalisation. There have been incidents when morphed pictures are used to create confusion and tension,” he said.

The Union Home Minister said many countries have successfully utilised forensic DNA database in their fight against crime.

“We are also working towards a Forensic DNA Database. Centre is preparing a huge infrastructure for crime control. We have come up with the crime and criminal tracking network and systems. By connecting this centralised database with courts and forensic labs we will create an Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System,” he said.

He said that new technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, cloud computing, 3D printing, robotics and internet as things are posing new security challenges before us.

“Forensic experts should transform these challenges into opportunities,” he said.

Stressing on a need for standard operating procedures for all forensic labs in order to avoid contradictions in reports, he said that the chain of custody of samples needs to be transparent.

“Our police forces need to be sensitised about forensics. They should be properly trained in forensics, specially the investigating officers should upgrade and update their forensic knowledge. There should be ‘Forensics Pe Charcha’ at the district level,” he said.

Calling upon the universities to come up with uniform syllabus on forensics and work towards quality education he said that the forensic experts play an important role in making a case foolproof.

“Today’s forensic science has evolved during the past 150-200 years. Forensic lab was first established in India by the Britishers but they relied more on force than forensics,” said Rajnath.

Describing detection as the biggest deterrent for crime control, he said that the forensic experts can play a major role in detection, investigation and criminal identification of criminals.

“Forensics can bring a qualitative change in investigations,” he added.

On the occasion, the Union Home Minister released a souvenir and gave away certificates to forensic experts. (IANS)